Hotel Palacio has announced an ambitious expansion strategy with plans to invest ₹800 crore over the next 10 years to develop 10 hospita hospitalityproperties, primarily across Northeast India while also evaluating opportunities in other regions of the country.
The announcement came alongside the inauguration of the company’s second hotel in Guwahati, located in Paltan Bazar, further strengthening its footprint in the region’s key commercial and transit hub. With this addition, Palacio Hospitality now operates three hotels, including two in Guwahati and one in Alipurduar, West Bengal.
The expansion reflects increasing confidence in the Northeast’s growing tourism and business potential, supported by improved road and air connectivity, rising visitor numbers and expanding corporate travel activity.
Speaking at the launch event, Poddar Group Chairman Anup Poddar said the company aims to build Hotel Palacio into a leading hospitality brand emerging from Assam while remaining closely connected to the region’s culture and identity. He added that Guwahati’s role as the gateway to the Northeast made further expansion in the city a strategic choice.
The newly launched Paltan Bazar property has been designed to cater to business, leisure and event travellers. It includes 83 rooms, conference and boardroom facilities, over 6,000 square feet of banquet space and a 7,000 square feet rooftop venue for events and social gatherings.
The hotel will also feature “Omara,” a signature restaurant created in partnership with celebrity chef Vikey Ratnani. Additionally, the property is set to introduce what the company describes as Guwahati’s first cocktail bar-cum-listening room, reflecting evolving urban dining and lifestyle trends.
Managing Director and COO Ankit Poddar said the company plans to expand through a mix of owned properties, lease arrangements and hotel management agreements. He noted that while the Northeast remains the group’s primary market, the company is also open to opportunities elsewhere in India that align with its long-term growth plans.
Among its upcoming projects is the under-development Hyatt Regency Gangtok in Sikkim.
Industry observers believe the Northeast is emerging as an attractive hospitality market, with cities such as Guwahati, Shillong and Gangtok witnessing growing demand driven by better infrastructure and connectivity.
Founded in 2015, Hotel Palacio is among the few hospitality brands from Assam pursuing large-scale regional expansion, highlighting the Northeast’s changing economic and tourism landscape.
